Meet Tomas Hernandez

Growing in Faith Through the Sacraments and Service

Three years ago, parishioner Tomas Hernandez experienced a deep conversion of heart while praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament. “I’m a cradle Catholic, but during middle school and high school, I strayed away from the faith and the sacraments,” he says. “Then, three years ago, I was tired of hurting so much from what society was telling me to do, the things that society said would bring me happiness. I paid a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, and while I was there, I found the peace that I had been looking for out in the world. I surrendered to Jesus that day, and ever since then I have been drawn to the sacraments. Only through the sacraments have I been able to find that peace.”

Tomas was born in Mexico, and emigrated with his parents and older brother to the United States when he was 6 years old. After living in both California and Oregon, the family settled in California and became parishioners at St. Isidore. After his time away from the Church, he is happy to be a part of the parish again.

Because of his reversion experience in front of the Blessed Sacrament, Tomas has a deep devotion to the Eucharist.

“The Eucharist means everything,” he says. “The fact that the priest can say the words that Jesus said, and just like the Word was made flesh, by those words the bread becomes His Body and the wine becomes His Blood. It may not look like it or taste like it, but once you receive it, you just can’t explain it! It makes me want to hug the next person I see. It’s an amazing feeling of freedom, peace and assurance.

“The most important thing for me has been to reach out to the sacraments,” he adds. “They give us grace, and we go to the Father through that grace. The sacraments are key to receiving that grace, which allows us to continue on our beautiful pilgrimage in this world.”

Shortly after returning to St. Isidore, Tomas was asked if he would like to sign up for an hour of adoration each week. This practice grew to several times a week, and soon Tomas began to look for more ways to get involved at the parish.

“I was asked if I wanted to be a part of the Parish Council, so I prayed on it and discerned that it was something I wanted to be involved in,” he says. “I was also asked by other parishioners if I wanted to usher during Mass. At that time, when I would see the ushers in church, I’d think, ‘I don’t know if I could ever do that!’ But when I told they were short ushers and asked if I could help, I thought, ‘This is a call from Jesus, and I can’t say no to Him!’ Since then, it has really been a blessing, and I always try to look for people who are in the same place I was before. Maybe they’re just waiting for that call from Jesus, for His instrument to ask, ‘Do you want to help?’ I just want to pass on that blessing.”

Tomas also helps to coordinate the parish’s Spanish Masses, is a member of the Knights of Columbus, and helps out with Confirmation preparation as well as youth ministry. When COVID-19 brought parish activity, Mass and the sacraments to a halt, it was difficult for him to be away from the parish, and especially Jesus present in the Eucharist — but he also found unexpected blessings.

“COVID actually affected me in a positive way,” Tomas says. “Since I didn’t know when I was going to receive the sacraments again, it helped me to walk a thinner line, to make sure I was doing the right things. Lent was really fruitful for me, so it was a blessing in that way. Even though I wasn’t able to receive Jesus, I still believe He is in control of everything, and allowed this to happen for a reason.”

Going forward, Tomas is looking forward to seeing what God has planned for him.

“I was away from Jesus for so long that right now, I just want to focus on Him, discern my vocation and see what He has in store for me,” he says. “By being close to Him, close to the sacraments, and close to the parish, I can find out what my vocation is through my obedience to Him — and anything I can do to please God and help the parish is the least I can do.

“Don’t work for the worldly things — work for the things in heaven,” he adds. “By doing things like serving the parish, you work for the heavenly things. Helping out with a simple, humbling job like ushering can be so amazing because you just get to give back. It’s really awesome.”